I am a nurse who worked the night shift my first year of nursing(8 years ago) for a year. So I asked for an Rx to help

me sleep during the day. The internist gave me Ambien 5mg. Well, it worked somewhat but sleeping day hours never

did me well. Finally I moved jobs to more normal hours(only some late nights or 23 hour shifts). So my sleep pattern should be normal but with anxiety and panic at times, well you know how it is to get to sleep!

So I went to a psych doc a year ago and he Rx'd the 10mg ones, and said that 5mg is b.s. dos.

Well, no matter what dose I took I would get ravenously hungry at night(I know this was reported many times) and would end up

in the kitchen eating like a starving monkey. Like, shoveling food in fast. I NEVER eat like this. I was "Awake" but yet just seemed to HAVE to go eat. I couldnt sleep without getting up at midnight and eating. I also sent some disturbing e-mails without remembering until the morning, and only vaugely.

Well, I stopped the Ambien recently, about a week ago and started only taking Klonopin 1mg or half of one at bedtime. Well I am hyper as a mad hatter but doing better. All the enegry I didn't have before has returned. I am almost manic(And I am not bipolar at all).

I dont know if this is "me" or a "withdrawl effect" of years of Ambien poisoning(ha ha).

Yes, I know it is a lifesaver for insomniacs, I am just telling my story so don't yell.

I will tell the ne psych doc next week when I meet hem about this.

Anyone else have some insight into this? I am not advocating banning the drug, just want to know what happened.

THIS explains why despite a great healthy diet and exercise all day for years has caused a weight gain of 10 pounds!

I lost 4 already since stopping btw. No longer starving at night and not eating.

Thanks stkitt,The waeight gain of 10 pounds occurred when I upped the dose about 8 months ago to 10mg from the 5mg. The gain is tied to the excess nightime fourays into the fridge when impaired! I also had some hot sex with my husband(so I am told) at 3 am a few times. Maybe the Viagra people should lok into this as a drug for us ladies. Unfortunately, I can't remember anything except that I had sex. My hubby wanted to know if I could increase my doseage(just kidding, I think he was....)I am a Certified Doxie Lover(Weinerdogs)

I had some very serious problems with Ambien. I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 last year. I have pretty serious depressions and not very manic episodes. I just become "very highly functioning" when I am manic. Anyhow, I have had depression cycles for years and never was actually suicidal. Just felt like I wanted to die, etc.

So I was recently very stable....on my mood stabilizers and Welbutrin and doing well. I was waking up at 1 and 4 am every night which was irritating me. My psychiatrist prescribed Ambien and I started taking them. Within two days my mood plummeted and I was considering suicide. It was unbelievable! My husband and I (and my best friend) all recognized it must be the Ambien, so I stopped it. One day later the fog lifted and I was fine. VERY scary stuff. Don't mix it with other psych drugs.

Hi Kitt,May I ask if you are on anything that does work and doesn't make you insane or commit felonies while asleepp?Thanks.What Anti D do ya take if any. Mine is Effexor XR and I hate the dependence but it works really well, generally. Maybe the dose of 150mg is too low at this time, which is a bad sign of dependency.Thanks for all the help!I am a Certified Doxie Lover(Weinerdogs)

HI there.....I personally take trazadone ...........The trazadone stops you from" stinking thinking" and lets you fall asleep well it does me and I awake feeling not hungover nor foggy at all ...I can take from 50 mgs to 150 mgs .......I do not take AD's for personal reasons butI do know they are a life saver for so many I am not knocking them I just dont want to add anymore meds to the cocktail I am on now I am on so many meds for various reasons and some pretty heavy Narcotics for Pain...........I was on Valium 10 mg's 3 times daily and weaned down to as needed with doc's knowlegde but due to many family problems and my Dad's downhill spiral I have had to go back up to taking now 2 a day to keep me calm and stop me from having outbreaks of the Pyoderma.........

Many meds will interract with other meds.as we all know......I dont have any knowledge of this med Ambien ,not even sure if it is ok'd for use in Ontario Canada ........I am sorry for all you went thru ..I did have memory loss from ativan BUT in the long term they are a good med .......IMHO

Be well and Take care......LYNDX With Crohns,Pyoderma Gangrenosum, Anxiety/ Panic and Other Disorders

Holwlincat, thanks.I have had my appt and the doc is upping the EfexorXR and I cn use Klonopin at bedtime for now. He is SO NICE compared to that other a-hole I was seeing for a year. What a difference a personality makes!HugsI am a Certified Doxie Lover(Weinerdogs)

I am glad you finally have a doc that is listening to you and helping you ...that is WHAT they are supposed to do IMHO many seem to have forgotten what a doc is supposed to do and be .......I am lucky like you to have a great doc that has been always there for me my hubby / n Cait......

Let us know how this works for you k

LuvsLYNDX With Crohns,Pyoderma Gangrenosum, Anxiety/ Panic and Other Disorders